How to get to Hvar Island, Croatia – Flights, cars, ferries, & catamarans

Before you can get to Hvar Island, you need to get to Croatia.

Croatia has a network of international airports with the major hubs being Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, and Pula. However, don't overlook the possibility of lesser-known airports such as Rijeka, Osijek, and Brač, with many airlines offering direct international flights throughout Europe, particularly from April through September.

The closest airport to Hvar is Split Airport (SPU), which is about 30 minutes outside of Split, a historic city on Croatia’s mainland. In the summer, Europeans and Brits can take advantage of the many affordable direct flights to Split from London and other European cities.

If your journey starts from the United States, Australia, or other further-flung destinations, be prepared for one or two layovers.

You’re in for a longer journey, but we can assure you it will be worth it! Also, Croatia does have some direct flights from places like New York to Dubrovnik, so you can go from the Big Apple to the land of Game of Thrones in less than 9 hours.

Many Europeans embrace the freedom of the open road and drive their own car into Croatia, which offers the most flexibility and convenience – although often a pretty long and tiring drive.

Whether driving your own car or renting, Croatia has a well-developed highway infrastructure, crossing all four corners of the country and a network of national toll-free roads running parallel to the toll highway.

All roads are asphalted and wide enough, with clear road signs. Remember, if you bring a foreign-registered vehicle, ensure you have valid international motor vehicle insurance.

Croatia welcomes seafarers with open arms.

Year-round ports like Umag, Poreč, Rovinj, Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Šibenik, Split, Dubrovnik, and more are at your disposal. Seasonal ports, operational from April to October, include ACI marina Umag, Novigrad (Istra), Sali, and others.

International car ferry service, operated by Jadrolinija, include routes like Zadar to Ancona, Split to Ancona, and Dubrovnik to Bari – all connecting Croatia and Italy. You can book your tickets online, but be aware that tickets cannot be booked too far in advance before the schedule for the upcoming season is released.

Faster passenger ferries (catamarans), operated by Venezia Lines, connect Italy to Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula. Their seasonal service runs from the last week of April to the first week of October, from Venice to Pula, Porec, Rovinj, and Umag in Croatia – as well as Piran in Slovenia. In July and August, the service runs daily and is the fastest way to cross between Croatia and Italy if you are without a vehicle.

The nearest large city on the mainland is Split.

It’s about an hour from Hvar by speedboat.

Split has an airport, a bus terminal, a train station, and a ferry port, all with routes serving national and international destinations. Bus, train, and ferry are all within sight of each other – a 10-minute walk from the historic core of Split.

The airport is 30 minutes outside of the city. To get from the airport to central Split, you can grab a taxi or Uber (€25-45) or take the local bus (€6). The bus makes a few stops, so it takes about an hour in total, but it is clean, modern, and easy to find.

Because Hvar is an island, you will need to take a boat to get here.

There are a number of private catamaran (speedboat) and ferry companies. Catamarans are not the same as ferries. Only ferry boats carry cars. The ferry is much larger and slower. Catamarans are smaller and faster.

Whether you take a catamaran or ferry to get from Split to Hvar, we recommend you buy your ticket online in advance.

This will save you from standing in long queues under the hot sun or missing your boat, especially during the peak season. Speaking of missing boats, be very careful not to confuse the ferry times – it holds our number two spot in the five most common mistakes that ruin a Croatia vacation.

Most visitors come to the island without a car or boat. If you fall in this category, then you can take a catamaran or private transfer to Hvar.

Catamarans are ticketed passenger boats that serve pedestrians.

They ferry from Split to Hvar Town all day long and into the evening. There is also one catamaran each day connecting Split to Jelsa, a smaller harbor town on the northern coast of Hvar.

The ride to Hvar Town lasts about an hour, whereas to Jelsa is slightly longer.

The second-nearest city on the mainland to Hvar Island is Dubrovnik. You can take a catamaran from Dubrovnik to Hvar Town, which takes about three and a half hours.

There are a number of catamaran providers, such as Krilo, but state-backed Jadrolinija is the cheapest and very reliable to travel to Hvar Island.

Catamarans sometimes sell out in July and August, and ticket lines can be long, so it never hurts to buy your ticket online a day in advance.

Board your catamaran a half hour before departure to grab a good seat. Catamarans always have restrooms and canteens with snacks, espresso drinks, and beverages. Ask the ticket taker where to put your luggage, there’s usually a designated storage area.

Note: you can also jump on the car ferry between Split and Stari Grad, even if you are travelling without a car. Read on for more information.

A private transfer usually involves a driver meeting you at Split Airport to drive you to the ferry port, followed by a speedboat directly to your choice of port on Hvar.

Private transfers are, of course, more expensive than public catamarans, but can be well worth it in certain situations.

For example, we advise families coming directly to Hvar from the USA or Australia to hire a private transfer, because most will have already endured a long overnight flight to Croatia. The additional transit time spent getting to Split Central, waiting for the ferry or catamaran, and then taking the boat ride over to the island can be too much, especially for children, and set a wonderful holiday off on the wrong foot.

It can also make sense to hire a private transfer if your flight gets in too late to Split to be able to catch a catamaran or ferry. With a private boat, you can be on Hvar in an hour, rather than overpaying for a hotel and meals in Split, then going through another round of transit the following day.

Of course, if you are a Hvar Away guest, making arrangements for your private transfer(s) will be taken care of by our dedicated team member assigned as your concierge.

Once you arrive on the island, there are a few car rental companies based here. Depending on where you’re staying, we recommend renting a car. It’s the easiest way to experience everything the island has to offer on your own terms, with the most flexibility. You can arrange to collect rental cars usually from either Hvar Town or Stari Grad port.

Relying on taxis for numerous trips over a week-long stay is almost always guaranteed to be a pricier option than renting a car when you visit Hvar. If you are a Hvar Away guest, car rental arrangements can be organised for you – just let us know your timings and any specific requirements.

There are only two car ferry ports on the island of Hvar: Sućuraj and Stari Grad. The island has other ports (Hvar Town and Jelsa) but they only serve catamarans, which are boats that carry only pedestrians.

And yes, you can hop on a car ferry even if you are not traveling with a car.

The only company that runs car ferries is Jadrolinija. Tickets from Split to Stari Grad on Hvar Island cost about €50 per vehicle and should be booked well in advance because the car ferries usually fill up. Plan to park your car in the ferry boat line at least an hour ahead of time as an additional precaution.

The ferry to Stari Grad port departs from Split multiple times a day.

It takes two hours in normal weather.

If your final destination is Hvar Town, the drive is easy – and strikingly beautiful. Just follow the signs on the main road, and you will arrive in about 20 minutes.

The car ferry to Sućuraj leaves from a beautiful little village on the mainland called Drvenik.

This is in the Makarska region of Croatia, an hour and a half south of Split and two hours north of Dubrovnik.

Although lovely, Sućuraj is on the complete opposite side of the island to most of the residential and touristed regions, separated by a truly hair-raising road.

Unless you are coming from Makarska or a southern destination like Dubrovnik or Bosnia, we recommend selecting Stari Grad as your port of entry.

The area around Hvar is one of the world’s best for yachting and sailing, boasting gentle waves, exceptional beauty, and innumerable ports and anchorages with inviting amenities.

There are few better ways to reach Hvar Island than aboard a sailing vessel, with the wind in your hair and a glass of wine in your hand.

If you have the pleasure of coming by private sail or yacht, your skipper or charter company will handle docking or provide detailed instructions.

As a word to the wise – berths are limited, so reserve well in advance.